Floribunda rose plant named ‘WEKscemala’

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Floribunda rose suitable for garden decoration, having flowers of yellow blushed orange-red coloration.

Classification: The present invention relates to a new Rosa hybridaplant.

Variety denomination: The new plant has the varietal denomination‘WEKscemala’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Floribunda Rose.It has as its seed parent the variety known as ‘WEKplapep’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 10,126) and as its pollen parent the variety known as ‘MEIcauf’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,718).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from otherpresently available and commercial rose cultivars known to the inventorare the following combination of characteristics: its many stipitateglands on the surface of the bud, its colors that blush and intensityfrom the newly opened stage to the three day old flower, its redsuffusion on the style and its rough rachis with many stipitate glandsand some small prickles. The plant has a moderately compact uprightgrowing habit, suitable for outdoor garden decoration.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by budding as performed in KernCounty and Upland, Calif., shows that the foregoing and otherdistinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding asexual propagations. ‘WEKscemala’ may beasexually propagated by budding and grafting. The budding and graftingsuccessfully occurred on the plant/rootstock Rosa hybrida cv. ‘Dr.Huey’.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, ‘WEKplapep’ bythe following combination of characteristics: whereas ‘WEKscemala’ bearsflowers of yellow blushed orange-red coloration with double petalage(about 22 to 27 petals), ‘WEKplapep’ bears flowers of striped red andwhite coloration with significantly heavier petalage (about 31 to 36petals). The seed parent bears flowers with a strong damask and spicyfragrance, whereas the new variety bears flowers with a significantlylighter, slight tea fragrance.

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, ‘MEIcauf’by the following combination of characteristics: whereas ‘WEKscemala’bears medium sized flowers (about 8.4 to about 11.3 cm. in diameter) ofyellow blushed orange-red coloration, ‘MEIcauf’ bears significantlylarger flowers of even red coloration. The new variety is classified asa floribunda rose with a moderately compact upright medium heightgrowing habit, whereas the pollen parent is classified as a hybrid tearose with a significantly taller upright growing habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates the new variety and shows theflowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearlycorrect as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thecharacter. Throughout this specification, color references and/or valuesare based upon The Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society(1966) except where common terms of color definition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of 3 to 4 year-old rose plants of the newvariety grown outdoors in Upland, Calif. in the month of November.Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climaticconditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWER

The new variety sometimes bears its flowers singly, sometimes inclusters of three to four or more per stem. Flowers may be borne inregular rounded clusters on strong somewhat short stems (about 23 toabout 35 cm). Outdoors, the plant blooms abundantly and nearlycontinuously during the growing season. The flowers have a slight teafragrance.

BUD

The peduncle is about 4.0 to about 7.5 cm. in length, of average caliper(about 0.2 to about 0.3 cm. in diameter), and usually erect. It ismoderately rough, with numerous stipitate glands. Peduncle color isbetween 144A and 147A often moderately suffused, especially on the sideexposed to the sun, with between 183B and 187C.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is about 1.1 to about 1.8 cm. indiameter at the widest point, about 1.5 to about 2.3 cm. in length, andpointed in shape. The surface of the bud bears few foliaceous appendagesand many stipitate glands, usually with slender mostly entire butsometimes somewhat cut foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip of thebud about ¼ or more of its length. Bud color is between 146B and 137Asometimes moderately suffused, especially on the side exposed to thesun, with between 183B and 187A.

The sepals are about 2.6 to about 3.6 cm. in length and about 0.7 toabout 1.1 cm. in width at the widest point. The outer surface color ofthe sepal is between 146B and 137A sometimes moderately suffused,especially on the side exposed to the sun, with between 183B and 187A.The inner surface color of the sepal is between 147A and 145A andcovered with fine wooly tomentum; sepal margins are lined with manystipitate glands.

As the petals open (after the calyx breaks), the bud is about 1.9 toabout 2.5 cm. in diameter at the widest point, about 2.2 to about 2.9cm. in length, and moderately ovoid in form. The color of the undersurfaces of the newly opened petals is between 7A and 4A usually blushedwith between 33C and 34B. There is no visible change in coloration atthe point where the petal attaches. On the upper surfaces of the newlyopened petals, at the point where the petal attaches, there is asomewhat large zone of between 7A and 4A that gradually suffuses fromthe center of the petal with between 30B and 32B, usually blushed withbetween 33B and 34A near the petal edge.

BLOOM

When fully open, the bloom ranges from about 8.4 to about 11.3 cm. indiameter. Petalage is double with about 22 to 27 petals and about 0 to 2petaloids irregularly arranged. When partially open, the bloom form ismoderately cupped to somewhat high centered, and the petals are somewhattightly spiraled to moderately cupped with petal edges slightly reflexedoutward. When fully open, the bloom form is more cupped, and the petalsare loosely cupped and sometimes somewhat undulated with petal edgesmoderately reflexed outward.

PETALS

The substance of the petals is moderately heavy to somewhat leathery andof medium thickness, with upper surfaces moderately shiny and undersurfaces somewhat shiny to matte. The outer petals are broadly roundedin shape with rounded apices. The inner petals are moderately obovate inshape with rounded apices. The petals are about 3.5 to about 4.7 cm. inlength and about 2.8 to about 4.9 cm. in width at the widest point.Petal margins are entire.

NEWLY OPENED FLOWER

On the under surface of the outer petals, at the point where the petalattaches, there is a somewhat large zone of between 7A and 5C thatgradually suffuses toward the center of the petal to between 4D and 5C,sometimes moderately blushed with between 43C and 48B. On the uppersurface of the outer petals, at the point where the petal attaches,there is a somewhat large zone of between 7A and 4A that graduallysuffuses to the center of the petal to between 4D and 5C, usuallyheavily blushed with between 41B and 33B.

The under surface color of the intermediate and inner petals is between12B and 5C usually heavily blushed with between 44C and 33B. There is novisible change in coloration at the point where the petal attaches. Onthe upper surface of the intermediate and inner petals, at the pointwhere the petal attaches, there is a somewhat large zone of between 7Aand 4A that gradually suffuses toward the center of the petal to between4C and 5C, usually heavily blushed with between 33A and 33B. The blushedsection of the petals is sometimes irregularly striped and flecked withcolor ranging from between 33D and 33C to between 5D and 5C.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between 4C and 5C,usually heavily blushed with between 33A and 33B and sometimesirregularly striped and flecked with color ranging from between 33D and33C to between 5D and 5C.

THREE-DAY-OLD FLOWER

On the under surface of the outer, intermediate and inner petals, at thepoint where the petal attaches, there is a somewhat large zone ofbetween 6D and 5D that gradually suffuses toward the center of the petalto between 11D and 8D, often moderately blushed with between 53B and48B.

On the upper surface of the outer, intermediate and inner petals, at thepoint where the petal attaches, there is a somewhat large zone ofbetween 6D and 5D that gradually suffuses toward the center of the petalto between 4D and 5C, usually heavily blushed with between 42A and 46Aand sometimes irregularly striped and flecked with color ranging frombetween 36C and 40D to between 4D and 5C.

The general tonality of the three-day-old flower is between 4D and 5C,usually heavily blushed with between 42A and 46A and sometimesirregularly striped and flecked with color ranging from between 36C and40D to between 4D and 5C.

On the spent bloom, the petals usually persist, fading to between 43Cand 48B and then eventually drop off cleanly.

In November in Upland, Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoorsgenerally last about four to five or more days. Cut roses from plantsgrown outdoors and kept at normal indoor living temperatures generallylast about four to five or more days.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens are average in number (average about 105) and are arrangedregularly about the pistils; a few are mixed with petaloids. Thefilaments are of somewhat short to medium length (about 0.3 to about 0.8cm.), most with anthers. Filaments are between 13A and 14A in color. Theanthers are small for the class and all open approximately at the sametime. Anther color is between 21C and 12D when immature and between 200Cand 163C at maturity. Pollen is somewhat abundant.

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Pistils vary in number (average about 75). The styles are moderatelyeven, average in length (about 0.5 to about 0.7 cm.), somewhat thin toaverage in caliper, and loosely bunched to somewhat separated. Stigmacolor is between 5C and 8B. Style color is between 1C and 151B oftenheavily suffused near the top with between 53A and 53B. Ovaries areusually all enclosed in the calyx.

Hips have not been observed on this variety when grown in Upland, Calif.

FOLIAGE

The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to seven or moreleaflets and are borne abundantly. The seven-leaflet leaves are about11.4 to about 16.1 cm. in length and about 6.2 to about 12.3 cm. inwidth at the widest point, heavy to moderately crisp in texture, andmoderately glossy in finish. The terminal leaflets are about 3.4 toabout 6.3 cm. in length and about 2.0 to about 4.1 cm. in width at thewidest point, shaped broadly oval to somewhat ovate with acute tosomewhat acuminate apices and moderately acute to somewhat roundedbases. Their margins are simply serrate.

The upper surface color of the mature leaf is between 147A and 137B. Theunder surface color of the mature leaf is between 147B and 137C. Theupper and under surface color of the young leaf is between 137C and146A, usually heavily suffused with between 183A and 187A.

The rachis is somewhat light to average in caliper and rough. The upperside is shallowly grooved with very few hairs and stipitate glands onthe edges of the grooves. The under side of the rachis is rough withmany stipitate glands and some small prickles. The rachis color isbetween 145B and 146A.

The stipules are about 1.4 to about 2.1 cm. in length and moderatelywide (about 0.6 to about 1.0 cm.) with medium length straight pointsthat usually turn out at an angle of more than 45 degrees and oftenrecurve toward the stem. The stipules color is between 137B and 146Csometimes suffused with between 187B and 183B.

The petiole is about 0.3 to about 1.0 cm. in length and about 0.1 toabout 0.2 cm in diameter at the widest point. The petiole color isbetween 145B and 146A.

The plant displays an above average degree of resistance to powderymildew and rust as compared to other commercial varieties grown undercomparable conditions in Upland, Calif. The plant's winter hardiness anddrought/heat tolerance are yet to be determined.

GROWTH

The plant has a moderately compact upright medium height growing habit(about 109 to about 121 cm. in height and about 62 to about 76 cm.spread at the widest point), with full branching. It displays moderatelyvigorous growth and the canes are of somewhat light to medium caliperfor the class.

The color of the major stems is between 148A and 152A. They bear severallarge prickles that are about 0.5 to about 0.7 cm. in length. The largeprickles are almost straight and angled slightly downward with asomewhat short oval to moderately rounded base; prickle color is between165A and 177B. The major stem bears several small prickles of similarshape and coloration.

The color of the branches is between 146B and 147A often heavilysuffused with between 187B and 183B. They bear many large prickles whichare of similar size and shape to the large prickles on the major stems;prickle color is between 147A and 146B often heavily suffused withbetween 187B and 183B. The branches bear several small prickles ofsimilar shape and coloration.

The color of the new shoots is between 146B and 147A often heavilysuffused with between 187B and 183B. They bear many large prickles whichare of similar size and shape to the large prickles on the major stems;prickle color is between 147A and 146B often heavily suffused withbetween 187B and 183B. The shoots bear several small prickles of similarshape and coloration.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Floribunda rose plant of the varietysubstantially as described and illustrated herein.